5 days | Independent tour | Sep-Nov | Kiruna to Luleå
Discover Swedish Lapland at its most atmospheric, when forests glow with autumn colour, rivers run free, and the first Northern Lights begin to dance across the night sky. This thoughtfully designed five-day journey combines two of Scandinavia’s most iconic stays – the ICEHOTEL and Treehotel – with scenic rail travel, Nordic wellness, and immersive nature experiences in far northern Sweden.
Autumn is increasingly recognised as one of the most rewarding times to visit Lapland: Days are crisp and uncrowded, landscapes are rich with colour, and nights grow dark enough for aurora viewing without the extreme cold of mid-winter. These qualities were captured by award-winning travel writer Rob McFarland, who travelled through Swedish Lapland with 50 Degrees North and described the region in his Traveller cover article as being “even more magical in autumn”, highlighting the slower pace, design-led stays and deep connection to nature that define this journey.
Travelling independently, you’ll journey from Kiruna to Luleå through the heart of Swedish Lapland, staying in extraordinary design-led accommodation and enjoying a curated mix of gentle activities, local cuisine and unhurried time in nature — with excellent opportunities to witness the Aurora Borealis along the way.
You can read more about what makes the ICEHOTEL so special here, or explore our wider collection of Northern Lights and autumn holidays for further inspiration.
As a Certified B Corporation, 50 Degrees North has designed this itinerary using handpicked local hoteliers and suppliers who share our ethos of delivering services and activities of high social and environmental standards.
Through our Climate Action Plan, we measure our carbon emissions each year and set goals to reduce them. But our responsibility does not end when the journey does. A share of our annual profits goes to our Impact Fund, supporting conservation, restoration and the communities we work in.
Shuttle transfers at ICEHOTEL, local train, private transfers at the Treehotel.
Arrive in Kiruna and transfer to Jukkasjärvi for your stay at ICEHOTEL 365. Tonight, you’ll sleep in a warm Arctic Cabin, blending Scandinavian design with comfort. Take time to enjoy the serene autumn landscape along the Torne River and explore the ICEHOTEL 365 concept, where ice art and design are preserved year-round in a specially cooled hall. Autumn also offers excellent chances to witness the Northern Lights, adding an unforgettable touch, if you are lucky, to your first night in Swedish Lapland.
Start the day by exploring the magical world of ice sculpting in an introductory class. Your guide will share the basics of working with ice before you pick up your chisel and create your own frozen masterpiece, a hands-on experience that’s both creative and calming.
In the evening, savour a Northern Lights Dinner, a culinary experience designed to complement the beauty of the Aurora. Enjoy local flavors in a cozy setting while watching the night sky for nature’s most spectacular light show. Afterward, settle into your cold accommodation—a stunning art suite kept at -5°C, complete with reindeer hides and a thermal sleeping bag for a truly unforgettable Arctic night. Heated facilities, saunas, and a warm morning lingonberry drink ensure comfort throughout this unique experience.
Wake up surrounded by ice in your Art Suite at ICEHOTEL and enjoy breakfast before departing. A private transfer takes you to Kiruna Train Station for your scenic SJ Sweden Rail journey south. Travel through Swedish Lapland’s autumn landscapes to Boden, where you’ll be met for a transfer to Treehotel in Harads.
On arrival, check in before a short stroll through the forest to your Unique tree cabin. From here, enjoy panoramic views of the Lule River valley and endless boreal forest. Later, unwind in the Forest Spa for two-hours and join a guided tour of Treehotel to learn about its unique architecture and concept.
Treehotel’s location above the Arctic Circle, far from artificial light, makes it an ideal spot for watching the Aurora Borealis.
After breakfast, set out for Storforsen Nature Reserve, home to one of Europe’s largest unregulated rapids. Walk along scenic boardwalks, enjoy panoramic viewpoints, and immerse yourself in the raw beauty of Swedish Lapland’s forest landscape. This excursion is perfect for photography and nature lovers.
Return to Treehotel for a relaxing evening in your cabin, with sweeping views of the Lule River valley and surrounding forest.
After breakfast, check out from Treehotel and enjoy a scenic road transfer through Swedish Lapland’s forests to Luleå Airport (Kallax). This marks the end of your Autumn Aurora Safari adventure.
All prices listed are per person, based on two people sharing a room. Please ask us about an upgrade to an Art Design Room at the ICEHOTEL.
Please note that the itinerary and price is subject to availability. We do our utmost to create an itinerary as close to this published tour as possible.
Be sure to ask us about optional activities offered at each hotel so we can book and secure your place.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL:
The original and famous ICEHOTEL was one of the first accommodations in Kiruna to become ‘Sustainable Arctic Destination’ certified and the hotel’s connection with the environmental cycle is core to everything it does. The hotel is located on the Torne River and ice is harvested every winter to make the hotel, and in the summer, when the hotel is melting, the water returns to its origin. As such waste and emissions are kept to an absolute minimum.
ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY:
At 50 Degrees North, animal welfare is a top priority during all our tours and packages. We carefully select suppliers who adhere to strict animal welfare standards, ensuring that wildlife interactions are respectful and comply with local, national, and international regulations. We avoid offering excursions that involve captive wildlife, except where they are properly regulated, and all activities are designed to minimise disturbance to natural ecosystems. Our travellers are educated on responsible, including responsible animal interactions, through our 'Responsible Travel Tips' for travellers, and our guides are trained to lead by example, promoting ethical conduct towards both wild and domesticated animals. By prioritising animal welfare in every aspect of our tours, we ensure that your travel experience is both enjoyable and ethically sound. Read our article on Animal Welfare to learn more.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Weather conditions may occasionally affect certain activities, and as a result, the schedule may be adjusted to ensure the best possible experience for all guests. For multi-activity stays, often the order of the activities will be confirmed locally on arrival. Activities might vary slightly in their duration or location due to the weather and local conditions. Any activities that are unable to be re-scheduled due to weather conditions, will be refunded as a general practice, as determined by the activity provider.
Planning a northern lights holiday and wondering when to go? The most reliable window across the Nordic region runs from early September to mid-April, when the nights are dark enough for the aurora to show.
If you don’t fancy the sub-zero temperatures associated with Northern Scandinavia in winter, consider an autumn tour.
Experience the quiet magic of ruska season in Lapland - glowing autumn forests, crisp Arctic air, and the chance to see the Northern Lights — through a curated selection of immersive wilderness, culture and aurora-focused journeys across Finland and Norway.
